Becca's Life! I like to have fun!

Love! I love it for many reasons.

2012-02-13T16:32:00.000-08:00

February 13, 2012

I can't believe that it's only been 2 years since my heart was broken into more pieces than I knew what to do with.

I was so hurt and so broken and so fallen apart that I had no idea what to do, but get up everyday and breathe in and out. I was in a bad place and I walked into my classroom on February 14th to a classroom full of flowers, notes, hearts a teddy bear and love. I broke down into tears and crumbled to the floor as an overwhelming outpouring of love came into my mind and heart. It was one of the beginning of many days that helped me to be emotionally healthy again. I realized how loved I was and was surrounded by people who I needed and who in turn in needed me. I realized then and even more now that we are supposed to be here for each other and that people hurt each other without meaning to and even sometimes with meaning to, but that there is no pain that can not be healed by love. Love of self, love of the Savior, love of others. I feel so blessed to have learned all the things I have in the last two years. I would be celebrating my 2 year anniversary today, but instead I've helped (I hope) someone who is going through a difficult time on this, her first Valentine's Day alone. I remember how I needed people to validate and love me on that day and let me know that though my life (it seemed) had fallen apart and couldn't be put back together, that there were still people who loved me and validated, even enjoyed and needed my existence. I remember how much that meant to me and forever will mean so much to me. I have been so blessed. I have learned so much and have been able to do so many things.

If I hadn't had my heart broken look at all things I wouldn't have been able to do:
1. Go back to school and get my PE and Health endorsements
2. Go to Spain (that is probably the biggest dream I would have never completed!)
3. Go to Greece
4. Go to Hawaii 3 times!
5. Go to New York for a second time!
6. Meet my Grandpa for the first time.
7. Meet my Aunt Linda for the first time.
8. Meet my Dad again for only the 3rd time
9. Learn from so many other people
10. Know who I am more than I ever knew before
11. Continue to work in the temple and gain a testimony of what peace can be found there. (It's been a total of 7 years I've been able to serve in the temple.)
12. Learn how temporal life is and how fragile the time we have here is.
13. Learn to love myself so much more than I ever did.
14. Be happy on my own, not needing anyone to help me be happy even if the world was falling apart!
15. Run a half marathon
16. Run Red Rock Relay 2 times
17. Be me, the girl that Heavenly Father knows I can be and the princess; daughter of a King I have always told Him I wanted to be!

I will be okay and so will everyone else who has ever or will ever have a broken heart! It has been some of the hardest pain I've ever been through, but if I could choose again, I would never ever change it, because I'm becoming the girl that I know I am supposed to become. Life is a good thing to live! It's hard, but because of the pain and sorrow, there is joy and hope!

Two of my students came running into my classroom today with their fortune from their lunch today! It was great! They were so excited (I'm not going to lie, I was too!) They said, "Look and it even has your favorite number on it: 17 and won't you be 32 this year? It's your lucky fortune!" We proceeded to write the date on it and posted it on the wall of "HOPE" on my cork board!

I'm happy to say that 2 years ago today I didn't get married to a man I didn't need to get married to, to become the girl I am today. The growth I have been able to do would have never happened...so, as hard as it has been and for how many times I have wondered,(I have been known to wonder when I will get married) I now know that I will get married when it's right. That is all I need to know. That is what I have FAITH and HOPE in. Christ is my best friend. He is my Savior and has healed my broken heart, so much stronger than it ever was before. What a blessing of life! We are happy as we follow the Savior and do what He tells us to do! I'm glad for that!

Happy Valentine's Day! It's a great day to be ALIVE! (even though there are bound to be hard times ahead...just keep your head up...that's what I tell myself when I have the strength!) Off to buy more Valentines' suckers for the kids. Our fundraiser is rocking!!!

Hope=Change. I hope!

2012-02-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

2/4/2012 Saturday 3:58pm

After I have been packing up all my earthly possessions, I wrote a letter to my mission president…I feel so much more at peace and realize that I have been holding onto a war inside of me for a long time and it hasn’t done anyone who’s touched it, any good…it has only caused everyone and myself included harm and not peace. I have been so angry and in so much pain because of it, but this time it’s different than other recent pain I’ve had, because this pain and anger doesn’t go away, because it’s a real pain inside of you, caused by you (me). When you realize where the source is from, it makes sense why you can’t feel peace…because peace doesn’t, won’t, can’t dwell in unclean things. I have tried to pray it away, but my heart wasn’t as broken and humble as it needed to be and so I have been fighting with myself (and the Lord) for 2 weeks (maybe more) to hold onto the anger and hurt…justifying it did nothing but make it worse…I’m glad I finally figured it out. I feel better…Here is the letter:

I have been thinking a lot about the mission lately and when you guys had a few hard times because of the company back home and how you (well, hna Chidester) said that it was hard and she remembered that the Lord spoke peace to your minds that everything would be okay...well I have been needing the Lord a lot lately (not that I don't always) but lately has been a lot harder than before and I have had to lean on the faith that I gained during the mission and have failed a few tests He's placed in my way, but come to Him in others and have grown because of the experiences I have had on my mission. Without those preparing experiences I would have never been able to peaceably get through these last couple of weeks. I thought I'd let you know that it is still in me and so needed. I have been reflecting on how we do hard things and how they just keep coming especially when we thought we had advanced to a different place and had learned that lesson. I have felt my Savior's love especially in the hardest moments and have been fighting to stay afloat and it has been hard...but when all else fails, He never ever will. And it is Him, who in the end has given me comfort and helped me become who I am and okay with where I'm at, taught me all the things I need to hear, and to know how to deal with the situation and timing of the events just in the last 2.5 weeks.

Thanks for your stalwart examples to me. It has been hard, but due to examples and experiences I have had in my life, I have been okay and sustained. It has been hard and just when you think you can't anymore, He says, "You can and I promise that if you just trust in me, you will be okay." And so the battle that I have been facing is getting on my knees and saying, "I'm sorry for not listening the first time." But knowing at that very moment that He will forgive me for my inadequacies and say, "I love you and its okay. I still love you." And that has been what I have needed to get back up and be happy (which has been really hard for me in the last two weeks and frustrating too, because I hate not being happy, I feel like I've failed in a way) and now I can keep going and I think He trusts me again...I remember you saying on the mission that sometimes because of our actions God still loves us, but He doesn't have confidence in us and just like I learned last week at institute with the 116 page manuscript that got lost, He didn't forgive very quickly, there was a time of mourning and Godly sorrow that had to happen and then as always, but after time, the Lord restored the Spirit and the gifts that were previously Joseph's and Martin Harris' to have. I too have felt the refining and the void as I haven't done what I should and it has been hard, and I have felt a distance from Heavenly Father and it is something I know I don't ever really want to have in my life again. It has been a lot of good learning and I am just waiting for the full peace I used to enjoy, to come back...

I just wanted to say thank you for teaching me and for being an example and a great mission president and Sister Chidester too. I learned a lot and could not have learned it in any other way and it was very HARD, so hard sometimes that I didn't know what to do, but I know with all of my heart that it happened the way it did so that I could be who I am and deal with what I'm dealing with right now and in the way I am, because I couldn't have peace in my heart in any other way. So thank you for seeing us through and seeing your mission through...even when it was the hardest thing you could do. It changed my life and gave me an example of endurance! Thank you...Mil gracias y, mucho amor,

Hna Proper

I feel so much better after writing that and reading it again and realizing that we are here to learn and grow and that I have failed, but it’s not absolute failure, unless I refuse to change it. I’m grateful for a forgiving Father in Heaven and a Savior who gave His life for me so that I could make mistakes, be forgiven and learn that other people are needing that same forgiveness. I need that forgiveness from them too. I have a desire to do better and be better and it is a continual growing process, that as Elder Ballard once says is exactly what life is. I know my Savior lives and loves me and I’m grateful He forgives me and lets me through my tantrum until I’m ready to deal with it and that He sits and waits so patiently on me…I’m failing a lot of at waiting patiently on the Lord, but I know that each time I fail, it isn’t ultimate failure unless I refuse to correct it…so thank goodness for 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th……many chances to become better. Here’s to trying and failing and trying again. And here’s to a Savior that even makes it possible. Without Him, where or where would we be? Lost and fallen…without Hope. Now that is why Hope is and can still be my favorite word, even though I had almost given up on it. Here’s to HOPE!

At peace finally.

2012-01-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

Ironically, I'm at peace and yet I don't have a place I know of that I'm moving to. I have just laughed really hard two times in the last 5 days as two places I was going to move into fell into place and then out of place.
As I look around my bare room, I think about the simplicity of life and how Heavenly Father tries us in ways that we specifically need. I haven't been so close to the feelings I had on my mission, as I have in the last 4 days. It has been a bitter sweet experience, because I have had to humble myself and beg Heavenly Father to guide me where to go. I have had a Martin Harris experience of sorts...of saying, "This is what I want Heavenly Father" and then Him telling me something different and me saying, "No, but if you just let it work out like this..." and it didn't work out because He knows a lot more than me! Mosiah 4:9-10

"9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.

10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them."

I memorized verse 9 on my mission and remember thinking how powerful Heavenly Father is and all the knowledge He has. These past couple of weeks I have been fighting with myself and telling myself how things just don't work out when you take things into your own hands and that for the things of the Lord, you have to trust him.

I humbled myself a little bit yesterday when I realized that being prideful and stubborn, doing things my way, was getting me no where. I finally got off of my high horse and asked sincerely what He wanted me to do, but I didn't ever actually say I would do what He wanted me to do. I just said that I needed to know what He wanted me to do. Maybe that is why the answer never came and so I just made a choice, the wrong choice that didn't work out. I did finally realize today that I couldn't do it on my own, that it doesn't work that way and that He has been right all the time.

I say that I believe these things, so I guess I need to follow through on the end and "see that ye do them"

So there I was sitting at lunch thinking, "What am I going to do? How am I going to get through this?" and this quote came to my mind

“It is a source of immense personal comfort and peace of mind to have the knowledge that God is with us, and that even when there is now way-perhaps particularly when there appears to be no way, He will open the way.”--Gordon B. HInckley

I remember crying many times in the shower, when I had a companion who wouldn't talk to me. It was my second area and my 3rd companion. I had had 2 amazing and easy companions who were as sweet as sugar and good as gold. Then to come to this one was so painful for me. For me to not have someone to talk to me, it hurt and it was hard. I had to literally force words out of her as we would have companionship inventory and it was all spoken in Spanish because she was from Chile. It was hard. And there were so many times I would kneel on the cold stone floor and just look at that quote (or one similiar to it) and say, "Where is the way?" and I remember thinking, "If God said He would provide a way, then there will be a way." That is how I feel today. After fighting Him on what I wanted and what I thought I needed for me. It's like the way is being provided that I not do that which He told me not to (but I still did what I wanted) and now it will happen, but only after a lot of humbling Becca!

I got on my knees and asked Him what to do today and He took it from me. He took my burden and my pain and I've been able to trust Him, seriously let go of the burden and say, "Okay, this time, I'll do it your way!" I know He'll provide the way.

That doesn't leave me knowing what to do right now, but it does leave me knowing that I can trust Him and He knows I'm trying with all that I am to say, "I'm sorry for messing up last time. I'll try to do better this time. Thanks for being patient with me..."

"5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil."

Proverbs 3:5-6

It was funny today when one of my students emailed me a quote after school. She sent, "Faith in God includes faith in His timing." --Neal A. Maxwell.

sometimes I wonder if it's not good that my students know that I have struggles. But at the same time I think it's good that they realize that I'm a human too and that I have hard days and bad days that I can't just pretend are great, but that other times I do just get through despite what's going on in my personal life! I like that she cared enough to send that. Then another student sent this and it pretty much made my whole day! The best of both of my favorites in one picture! Add a killer whale and a black and white cow and we're set!!!

So at the end of my day, life isn't too bad. It's confusing, but I'm calm and have all of my "stuff" in place, somewhere and I'll be okay and I know that the Lord loves me and He'll take care of the rest that I lack.

Last of all...here's celebration that my grad school application is DONE and SUBMITTED!!!! 50 bucks later, some Spanish Essays and filling out personal information with multiple address changes...and off we go to see if I get accepted to GRAD SCHOOL! The beginning of a dream completed! Here's to dreaming Big!

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This I Believe

2012-01-30T18:28:00.000-08:00

"I can think of scores of my peers who had nothing in those days but who, somehow, with the blessings of heaven, went forward and became men and women of strength and substance as they walked a straight and steady course, guided by principles to which they held with steadfastness. "

Gordon B. Hinckley from his speech at BYU in March 1992 entitled "This I Believe". He inspired me to write a few things that I too believe, after a hard trial and in good times.

This I Believe

1. That God lives and loves me.
2. That we are meant to do hard things.
3. That life was never meant to be fair.
4. That growth is a part of the change that is SUPPOSED to happen in us and take us to where we ultimately want to be; with God in heaven and His Son Jesus Christ.
5. That God's perfect fathering skills make my life as beautiful and as hard as it is, that nothing happens to any of us for a reason that isn't without a purpose that can be for our good, that He leads us and guides us home, as we listen to Him.
6. That life is hard and sometimes we, by our choices make it harder than it needs to be.
7. That ice cream every now and again heals wounds and more importantly so does Jesus Christ.
8. That time is an important part of growing.
9. That without FAITH life is so much harder, and usually the thing you need to do requires more amounts of faith than you think you have and that is why the stretching is sometimes more painful than you think you can bear.
10. That no matter what, God hears our prayers and wants us to come unto Him, and ultimately we will find the rest we've been looking for in Him as our Savior washes away the wounds and heals the pain we or others have caused.

Patience my friend...time to learn.

2012-01-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a week or two that I haven't really known what to do with, except keep going! That's really all you can do right? So I have. I have stressed out a lot. I am moving and thought I knew to where, but honestly I don't still. I'm waiting on the Lord. That is something I have to do to grow and get to where I want to be. I want to know that He trusts me and so I have to trust Him right? Well, I read some conference talks today and this is one that I liked. It's not really about waiting on the Lord, but in one way it's about Him waiting on us. We always think we know what's right (that's where I've been and why all of my clothes except a few are at someone else's house...another story for another time (as my eyes threaten to close)) so now I am saying, "Sorry Heavenly Father. I should have listened. I should have waited and not done whatever I wanted." So here I am with a room half empty and no where to go...so tomorrow I'm fasting about that...wish me luck. I'm falling asleep so good night.

Congratulations to my cute mission companion who I saw in the temple this morning and after 8 years of not being able to have kids, they are adopting cute little twins! I'm so excited for her and her husband Jay.

D. Todd Christofferson "The Divine Gift of Repentance"
"Pretending there is no sin does not lessen its burden and pain. Suffering for sin does not by itself change anything for the better. Only repentance leads to the sunlit uplands of a better life. And, of course, only through repentance do we gain access to the atoning grace of Jesus Christ and salvation. Repentance is a divine gift, and there should be a smile on our faces when we speak of it. It points us to freedom, confidence, and peace. Rather than interrupting the celebration, the gift of repentance is the cause for true celebration. Repentance exists as an option only because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

I'm happy! I'm working on it! Aren't we all?

2012-01-09T22:07:00.000-08:00

It's amazing how simple things can make my day. I'm happy again! I'm wondering how come stupid things I have no control over, can have so much control over me!!! Man, I've got to work on being stronger! It will all work out in the end though! Time to be happy. My sister got me this plaque for Christmas that says, "The key to having it all is believing you do." This isn't the plaque, but I liked what this one said and it's cute! Cute things make me happy! Happy day!

He alwasy comes in the 4th watch...

2012-01-08T22:37:00.000-08:00

I'm in the same boat I've been in before and the same boat as a friend. I just wish we were rowing together. I've got a lot on my mind. It's been a hard day. I've cried a lot. I've screamed to the heavens and felt the pain come back from moments of previous pain that have hurt so much before. I didn't want to ever be there again and I asked the Lord why He would let me go there again. He gently told me (and still tells me as the hours draw on and I forget what He told me hours ago) to come unto Him. For His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I'm trying so hard to give away control while still keeping it. And only confusion results. It is like we are here to learn the same thing we need to learn until we actually learn it.

It's been an array of emotions and I found myself reading once again that scripture that came to my mind earlier in Matthew. I needed to see it and hear it twice, three times to get it in my mind that I'm supposed to turn my will over to Him and He will take away my burden.

I haven't been happy until now. I opened up a binder I found from when I was 17 and found a list of things I wanted in my husband. 1. Handsom 2. Spiritual 3. Priesthood 4. Humorous 5. Make me laugh 6. Support me 7. Patient

What I will give : 1. Spirituality 2. Love

I had to laugh that my 17 year old self really knew what I wanted and was innocent (oh how I long to go back to those moments of innocence and lack of pain (and for a glimpse it seems fun until I realize that I might have to pass through all the pain again to get where I'm at, so I say NO THANK YOU, I'll just live where I'm at now) and knew that I wanted a man who loved me, supported me and loved the Lord and was spiritual and a priesthood holder. I look back and think, "Man where have I gone wrong? I've been searching for someone like that for so long...what has gone wrong?" And then I look at the list again and think, "He really is just giving me what I want. I haven't found him yet so I just have to keep being patient until someone wants to be that man for me and choose me."

I had thoughts at church today, a lot of them. I wrote a lot down and came up with an amazing lesson (Ironic how all I've done since I got home from church is cry, fight with my mom (probably just from stress I have on all sides (the semester starts tomorrow and I still had a lot of things to get done to prepare for the 2 new classes I will teach) and lack of sleep and food today!) from the lessons I learned in Sacrament, Sunday school and Relief Society. I needed to hear all the things I heard and feel the peace I felt, which is ironic that I have been so unsettled. It is because sometimes when we want something so badly and it doesn't happen, it's a bit of a let down, but I'm trying to have faith. So this is what I've come up with today in church.

I was sitting in Relief Society when we sang this,"Do what is right, be faithful and fearless. Onward press onward the goal is in sight..."

I thought about the previous lesson I had just learned in Sunday School. I was feeling the Spirit so strongly telling me that if I was obedient I would be faithfully blessed by the Lord. I read this scripture in 1 Ne 2:20

"And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall ^aprosper, and shall be led to a ^bland of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands."

Well, if you go back and replace every time it says "land" with marriage it turns out to be a really promising scripture. I was thinking how simple it is for me to trust in the Lord when I know He will bless me. I was praying for Faith today and decided that this was my way of showing Him my faith. "Okay, Heavenly Father, I'll be obedient and keep the commandments and then you do me a favor and 1. prosper me and lead me to a marriage of promise
2. Even a marriage which you have prepared for me (I know He is preparing something for me. Just like a good meal or anything worth anything, it takes a long time to prepare it)
3. yea a marriage that is choice above all other marriages. (I took it to mean that I've given up some options I could have had, but because I was trusting in the Lord, I didn't take mediocre marriages, so that we (my husband and I) would be happy eternally.)

I have a belief and strong desire to follow the promptings of the Lord and that with time He will bless me with what I have been looking for and hoping for! I have to do my whole part to get what I really want. (I've almost settled a time or two) (I learned about settling. that if you are settling for mediocrity you're not being honest with yourself...I'll explain later) He is out there somewhere. He may be some I know. I don't know, but it will be fulfilled.

So as I look at that I take into mind the last part of that song I started with, (feeling a little better, tears dried on my cheeks) and a little more hope beaming in me that this verse will come true and that all I have to do is look forward to tomorrow and have a stout heart and God will protect me, so why wouldn't I do what is right? I'm working on it so hard that I can have the hope to lean on when it feels like I have nothing else I guess.

"And with stout hearts look ye forth till tomorrow. God will protect you; then do what is right!" (Do What is Right Hymn 237)

I believe in Jesus Christ. I know He is my Savior. He saves me in my sins, in my pain, in my heart that is broken and knows not what to do, but I know He too has gone below all things and has felt the very pain I feel right now. He loves me and takes me through the darkness and gives me hope that there is light above if I just believe and HOPE for truth to fill me and BELIEVE that it can. I know it can, but every now and again we need a day to cry and release toxins and pain built up from times of hurt. I can get over this and I will. Good night. Not sure I should have written all of that for the whole world to see, but I believe it's important for everyone to know that everyone has bad days. Even Christ, who suffered all, had bad days, which gives me COMFORT to know that HE who is MY SAVIOR knows EXACTLY what I'm going through and because HE LOVES ME He goes through the valley with me. Thanks be to God and His goodness and tender mercies He continually extends to those who will, "Come Unto Him" and let Him carry the burden. Working on it. Oh, my faith is working on being sufficient!

The Office, awards, Yoda, ski club and a bit of Spanish

2012-01-04T21:42:00.000-08:00

Today has been a crazy day! I just got done making about 30 awards (I have about 75 more to go). I picked a picture for each kid, went to Costco, waited for them to be developed, typed up the names while I waited, then came home and customized what they would say. My favorite one went to a kid who loves Yoda (I secretly got him a Yoda sucker at Christmas. When I saw it I knew he would love it so I gave it to him as if his secret santa gave it to him!). The award was "Yo-da best!" or something like that!

I watched the Office season 4 while doing it. I got the Office for Christmas. Well, you know a show is a good when you are alone and laugh out loud. There were a couple really funny parts that just made me laugh right out loud! Man I love a good laugh! I needed it tonight. Now my awards for tomorrow are done. It's time for bed and dreams of life as it should be...we'll see what that entails. Good Night.

Ski club starts this week up at Brighton! Our club, I'm the advisor, has tripled the amount of participants! we have 83 including me! That is awesome! Bill, the guy that we work with was so happy when I told him how many people we have! It is going to be a great season...the snow will come I can just feel it! And if it doesn't oh, well, that's what snow makers are for right??? Got get that snowboard out! Here we come Brighton every Friday night for the next 6 weeks!

If you're bored and want to learn the countries and their capitals here is a couple of fun new songs for you. We are learning them in my spanish class! You can really get it after the third view! Enjoy! You'll wish you were in my Spanish class! Have fun ROCK THOSE CAPITALS you'll ace the test Friday!

This one is for Central America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAupLjNTae0&feature=BFa&list=PL13A2EDB984F1C420&lf=BFp

This one is for South America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw1H8aIhKNk&feature=BFa&list=PL13A2EDB984F1C420&lf=BFp

2011: What a great year!

2012-01-01T21:06:00.000-08:00

So 2011 was an amazing year. Here is a quick overview of it. Still so many things I missed and might add later! Happy reading! It makes me happy to look back and realize how many things I am privileged to do and how full my life is! Happy New Year everyone, may 2012 be just as great, if not better! I don't know how to top this off...read on for more and you'll understand!

We knew it was going to be a blustery year when it started out with a huge snow storm on my way home from my sister's in New Mexico on New Year's Eve 2010!

I'm not really sure why people continue to go cross country skiing when it is so hard! The only good part is going down hill...so I say, why waist your time going up hill when you could just go "downhill skiing" or snowboarding!

Went to the Jazz game! It was really fun! I love going to live sporting events!

Erin and I over President's day weekend in Fairview! Matt, remember how I got a free lunch for being quiet for an hour? I can do hard things! Heck yeah!!!

Oh, the beloved Dirty Dash! This time it was really dirty! Check out my pig! He can attest to the intensity of it!

Jenni's LAST CALL! Joan Jett! Who else? Where else? Wendover!! Get ready for some fun!

You have to go visit the cowboy at least once in your life! Welcome to the end of Wendover!

Jimmy, you're my hero! Thanks for motivating me to do the ice breaker again! It was fun,but we both know I didn't train like I should have!

That's right, Athletes only!!! Did you get your timing chip?

In April I met my grandpa who is 80 years old, whom I have never (well, I never recall) met. It was really a sweet thing for him to hug me with tears in his eyes and say, “After all this time. After 30 years I finally meet my granddaughter.” It was fun to spend some time there. He is a great cook. I did a lot of genealogy while there. They are not members of the church. His wife (she passed away just recently in September of this year) gave me a ton of dates and things to work on. I am currently transcribing his journal that he wrote for me by hand last year for Christmas. I recorded a ton of stories, dates and took a lot of pictures home to scan. Oh the beauty of modern technology. I also met my Aunt Linda whom I had never met before either. She was kind enough to fly me out there (NH) and make all these meetings possible. I stayed with her for 2 days and my dad (who I met when I was 23 for the first time that I recall) for 3 days. While in New York, that is where he lives, we went and saw Phantom of the Opera and Spiderman, went on a tour of New York City and ate a lot of really good food.

After meeting all of these people, I realized where I get my personality, my body type and my drive to be successful! It’s amazing how, even though you don’t know people your whole life, there are a lot of things that run deep in the blood. It has been very cleansing for me personally to put some puzzle pieces together about who I am and why I am where I am.

Went and saw Spider man before it closed.

I brought Stanely all around New York with me! He had a great time seeing Phantom of the Opera and Spider-Man

When I got to Boston, I met the nicest man on Earth. He realized as we were talking that it was my first time in Boston, so he bought me a Red Sox hat and helped me find my bus. He was so nice! I wanted to thank him with a card, a note or something and he gave me his business card. I was devastated when I realized it had shimmied out of my back pocket. DO NOT put stuff in my back pockets I try to remind myself. 9/10 times they get lost. I will never be able to thank him in person, but some day I will find him, some day! I will never forget this man. I don't even know his name, but he sure took care of me that day!

My cousin Erin! Can you tell we are cousins? I had never met her before that day!

Aunt Linda and I got a little crazy and got nose rings! Not! But her husband didn't know that and we had him going for about an hour. He said that I was a bad influence on her! If he only knew me! I barely met her too! What good times!

My first time eating lobster! When on the east coast, do as the eastcoasters do! Eat sea food!

I just love this!!! Aunt Linda and I went in a cute shop and found all these cute sayings. I of course busted out my camera to bring the memories home with me!

Back to New York for a day. My roommate Brandi came out and we went o Canal street and bought some fun stuff! My dogs were tired at the end of that day!

In June I went to Spain as a study abroad with BYU. It was a dream come true. We went to places (see previous blog entries…there’s a lot. It was a part of my grade. I had the best, most up to date, well kept blog one of my professors said!) I had only seen in pictures and dreamed about. I loved every single city and really enjoyed the food (I gained 10 pounds!) architecture, people and the language. It was truly a wonderful experience. I am very blessed to have been able to go and especially to have been with some of the best professors I know as well as meet some great new friends.

Don Quixote anyone!!! The famous windmills!

La Mezquita, Cordoba (one of my all time favorite things we saw!)

Can you see what that is? It's Harry Potter flying on his broom! This amazing man created all these stick figure things from matches. Look closely. Such an amazing job! I bought a nativity for one of our friend's anniversaries while in Spain and she had to be away from her husband. That and the chocolate eclare made her cry and feel better!

I missed my bed!!! I loved sleeping in it that first night.

Upon returning to the US of A, I had a beach trip planned to go to San Diego to Celebrate my 31^st birthday a few weeks early because I started school the day after my birthday so there wouldn’t be time then. I went to California with my good friend Jenn and we had a blast staying on the beach front.

I went to New Mexico to visit my sister on July 31^st and her brand new little girl. This being her 4^th child, things were a little crazy for her. She is a real trooper and a wonderful mom that I have learned much from. We did swimming lessons every day for 8 days while I was there and made some progress with the kids. It was fun, but it is always better to have people teach hard things when there isn’t a close connection previously I think. The kids got scared much more easily. I have taught a ton of kids to swim and I always have the greatest success with those who only know me as their swim teacher.

These are all the fun things I brought them back from Spain! I'm such a cool Aunt!!!

I taught all of my nephews and my niece swimming lessons for the week I was there! It was a blast!

Back to school in August! At least it was a great opportunity to teach my students the “Feliz, Feliz en tu dia” song because we started school on August 18^th and my birthday was the previous day! I wrote on a piece of paper, “This is my year of growth.” After I found out what my schedule was going to be and that I didn’t have a real classroom until October. So, I set up shop in the school kitchen until the portables were done!

It was a long, yet quick 2 months and I must say I have grown a lot! I am now teaching the student government class, which puts me in charge of all of the activities at school, and we are going crazy with creative and fun things we are doing, but it is also a bit overwhelming at times. I came down with the stomach flu the night after we did the Halloween carnival, which was a huge success, and couldn’t go back to school for 3 days. It was crazy!

Camping for Tres Amigos tres y tambien tres Amigas Tres this year!

Rollin down the river!!! Gotta love our "River Run 1" tubes! There's nothing like flowing on the slow Jordan River!

So we decided that it would be a good idea to hike Mt. Timpanogas on September 16th! Not such a good idea. We almost go hypothermia and let's be honest, it just wasn't that fun wading through the river that the mountain turned into, but ironically, we weren't the only crazy people on the mountain that day!!! What is wrong with people? That is what I ask myself every time I attempt to hike Mt. Timp!

Check out how soaking wet we are!!!

The beginnings of saying good-bye in October. Bradley figured out that if he stands on his tip toes, he is as tall or taller than me. He said, "I wish I was taller than Aunt Becca." Mike said, "If that's your wish, I'm pretty sure it will come true." I just laughed, because I know it will come true and I'll still be as short as I ever was!!! But that's okay! Like other people say, "Becca, You're funsized."

Ashbey's 8th birthday, October 30th, followed by her baptism November 5th! Some really great days!

November came and went with a trip to Hawaii for Thanksgiving after I found out my brother was moving to New Zealand for the next 5 years, and my sister’s family had already made it a sure thing that they would be spending Thanksgiving in Hawaii. While there, my brother and his wife decided to help one of my dreams come true! They surprised me with a ride on a dolphin! I have dreamt about swimming, owning, diving off of etc a killer whale’s nose and swimming with dolphins for as long as I can remember. (needless to say I currently own orcachick@hotmail and orcachick@gmail...addresses.) I also was able to spend some much needed time with my niece and other nephews who I either don’t ever see, or who I won’t see for a very long time. It was truly my favorite part of the vacation.

Right where I wanted to be that morning! It was probably one of my favorite days!

The Proper kids!

The whole crew! What a great day!

Ashbey and Aunt Becca we really bonded this trip!

Sisters in Hawaii! Good times!

Joy! Pure joy as my dream comes true!

Oh, how I miss my Shauny!!! I love this lady! She brings out the silly in me and I bring it out even more in her!!!

Getting ready for Christmas in Hawaii! That was a wonderful day filled with memories and yummy Japanese food in a way I've never eaten it before! P.S. I learned how to use chop sticks (with the help of training wheels of course!)

Brody has this thing about licking people! What a nut!

My special Dylan! I love this kid!!! He's going to be an arcitecht one day!

December: It's off to New Mexico for Christmas! Here are 4 more of my cute kids! Austin 8, Ashley 5 months, Amberly 4 and the ever into something Tyler 2.5!

Austin is a good big brother, helping hold Ashley when she cries. I love that he always wears the jersey I got him in Spain! He is so funny. Check out the next picture.

He always dresses up to play any game he plays! Can't keep him in real clothes for too long!

Merry Christmas! My secret santa gave me these awesome antlers! They even light up!

Ashley is such a good little girl! I loved holding her and watching her sleep and feeding her, her first bottle!

Ty-man, always into something!

Ashley's first bottle!!!

Amberly got a hold of my Book of Mormon and "read" it. She helped me highlight stuff. She is in a HUGE coloring phase!

Mom and Hal got their mission call December 29th to the Guayaquil, Ecuador temple. They will go into the MTC on March 5th for 2 weeks and then serve as ordinance workers for a year and a half on the equator. Spanish lesson: Ecuador=equator!

Back home for my cousin Nephi and his new Bride Stacy's wedding at the Logan temple December 30th. What a great day!

This is the most cousins that have been together in a long time. I saw my cousin Malachi for the first time in about 17 years! How fun! We had a great time with Aunt Carmen, Aunt Flo, Tiffany and her girls, Stephanie and her girls and our new friend Shawn. What a wonderful event. I love weddings. I didn't catch the bouquet, but I almost hurt a girl in the process!!

Today's reading...Rejoice in the Lord

2011-12-27T07:10:00.000-08:00

I have been reading a chapter everyday in the Book of Mormon for 4 weeks now. It has really changed everything. I have always been a regular scripture studier/reader, but have lost the consistency that I like. Once I took the challenge from my Bishop to be "consistent" and read one chapter everyday, it has been really fulfilling and I've been learning a lot from them. Combined with my institute class, I have been able to understand war, Israel, Judah, the lost 10 tribes, the Jews and so much more. It is ironic that I'm at the prophecies of Isaiah and he is talking about the second coming and the return of the lost tribes and that the Jews will get Jerusalem back. When you understand it, it makes so much more sense and is really a testament of the truth of the Book of Mormon and much more. I particularly liked the scriptures today that I read. They brought peace to my heart. That the Lord really is in control and that our job is to have him be the head of our lives and all will work out. When the destruction comes (as it has been coming a lot lately) if we are obedient His wrath will not be upon us, but will save us from harm, if we follow Him and have been following His servants the prophets.

I particularly liked these words today that I read in 2 Nephi 22:

1 ^aAnd in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedest me.

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will ^atrust, and not be afraid; for the Lord ^bJehovah is my ^cstrength and my ^dsong; he also has become my salvation.

3 Therefore, with joy shall ye draw ^awater out of the wells of salvation.

4 And in that day shall ye say: ^aPraise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5 ^aSing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is known in all the earth.

6 ^aCry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

In verse 1, I am constantly amazed at how many times the Lord turns away His anger when we haven't done our part or what's right and it takes us a long time to recognize His hand or to accept His will, atonement etc. He is always wanting us to come unto Him and be saved in Him, but won't ever make us do anything. He only allows us the choice to do it and then we do and we believe what verse 2 says, that God is our Salvation and so we trust in Him and we aren't afraid of our fears, becuase Christ is the strength we find when we are just too weak on our own. We sing a song of redeeming love, because we have found hope in Christ and in doing so He can become our Salvation. He already paid the price for sin, but it doesn't give us any comfort unless we accept it.

I have always struggled to understand the Isaiah chapters, but this is the first time that I understand it and that I crave to read my consistent one (or more) chapter (s) a day. I have enjoyed it and feel the Spirit in the morning, when I put it first and do what's right from the get go in my day. It gives me the confidence I need to know that I'm doing something to be better and put forth effort to do as my Bishop has asked me to and it feels good to be obedient. Obedience is the highest law of the heavens as I learned from my ever faithful mission president.

"I, the Lord, am ^abound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no ^bpromise." Doctrine and Covenants 82:10

I for sure want His promises! I'm trying to be obedient so I will get all that He has to offer. And man, does He offer a lot! I love it! I love the Lord. I love the gospel and feel so blessed to know what I know.

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

James 1:5-6

Dating...oh, the joy!

2011-12-23T23:28:00.000-08:00

December 2, 2011

So today was a really busy, funny day. I had a friend who I wanted to set up with this guy…things worked out kind of, but on the flip side I also had a date so that it would be a double date. Around 5:45ish I realized that I better get hopping because I had curlers in my hair and spaghetti just getting done on the stove, but didn’t want it to sit for too long because then it turns all soggy etc…Well, I took the spaghetti off the stove and realized that I couldn’t find a strainer big enough for it and have burnt myself way too many times using the lid as the way to block water from coming out…so I used the only strainer I could find which was a little larger than my fist (very effective!!) and in the process all of the spaghetti went into the strainer and straight down into the disposal…awesome I thought as I burned my hand trying to salvage some of it!!! Just then the doorbell rang! It was my date! I looked at the time and as I cleared out the disposal, I remembered that I had possibly told him the wrong time. We had jumped back and forth so many times between setting up the date for 6, 6:30 and 7 that I didn’t really couldn’t remember what the official time was! Turned out I told 2 people 6 and one 6:30pm. Oops! So there I am burnt hand, no spaghetti and curlers in my hair, make-up not yet on!!! I run to the door hoping it was the other girl and not my date. So I go to the front door (too short to see through the peep hole) I jump up and look through the circle window. Right as I jumped up he turned around just in time to see me. He totally laughed (nice first impression) and I opened the door a crack and said, “Hang on. Give me five minutes.” He said, “I can come back later if you want.” I said, “No. It’s okay. Just give me 5 minutes.” I ran upstairs and started ripping out my curlers and realized that I hadn’t had the curlers in long enough which was resulting in my hair not turning out cute at all…I made a quick decision right then and there, “If this guy is going to like me, he’s going to have to like me with or without curlers and realize that life happens and there’s no spaghetti and his date did use curlers to get her hair curly and doesn’t wake up with make –up on!” And so I walked downstairs with 90% of the curlers in and by then of course the other date was there, because I had told both guys the wrong time and not the girl. Oops! So when I answered the door I said, “I’m sorry, but welcome to a moment in real life curlers and all! And the spaghetti all just went down the drain!” I proceeded to tell them what had happened and that I was sorry and that this is kind of the real me and how life just happens sometime (I’ll have to insert my date about the car battery that happened about 2 months ago, later...I inserted it below). They both laughed, accepted it and after my date found out that curlers are not obsolete, we moved on with our night and had a very nice time eating spaghetti (I made some more noodles) and burnt garlic bread (gotta watch those broilers while putting on your make-up!) and playing pictionary. I learned a few new terms that I didn’t know, like some guy who burnt Rome (I guess I didn’t learn it very well) but the other girl who is very intelligent, learned from me who Jacques Cousteau is! It was a fulfilling night and let’s just suffice it to say that he wasn’t too scared off because he asked for a second date last week. I figure if you’re going to date and get to know people, you might as well really get to know them.

Sometime in October...

I had a date planned for bowling on a Thursday at 7pm. I walked out to my car after work at 6. I had left my lights on one too many times (the little beeping noise doesn't work in my car, so sometimes I don't remember to turn off my lights). My battery was completely dead. Not just dead, but dead dead. So I called my friend who was on her way home. She came by, but since the battery was completely dead, it was worthless! I told her to go home as her baby was needing to be fed and I would figure it out. I called my date (it was now about 6:45pm, 15 min til my date was to be at my house!) who rides a motorcycle, so of course he couldn't answer the phone while riding! I left him a message. In the meantime a really nice guy was on his way home from work and he stopped to help out. We got the battery out and then my date arrived on his motorcycle. We had to bring the battery to the nearest auto parts store and get it tested. There I was on the motorcycle with the battery on my lap, holding onto it so that it wouldn't fall as we rode on redwood road. It was pretty funny and my date was way chill. So, I bought a new battery, we returned and installed it. By then it was like 8:30pm. He still wanted to go bowling, but I just wanted to eat something and wash my hands! We ended up getting Betos and ice cream, eating at home and watching Friends and then talked for like 2 hours. It was really a great date. He was totally chill and it was great because, sometimes (as previously mentioned) real life happens. That is what I mentioned to him as I was riding on the back of his motorcycle saying, "Thank you for doing this." He said it was fine. I said that it was kind of fun to have a "real life" experience on a date, cause this is what real life is all about. He was happy to help. Below is the picture of the guy at the auto parts store testing my old battery.

Those kinds of real dates are fun! It's hard to date these days...so many miscommunications, misunderstood or unknown expectations...I just try to play it safe by being real and hope it's enough...I guess some day it will stick and we'll see what happens! Here's to dating (well, not really) and here's the link to a great talk on why we date. http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,49-1-225-4,00.html Because there's an end reason to why we do it.

Said President Harold B. Lee: "Pure womanhood plus priesthood means exaltation. But womanhood without priesthood, or priesthood without pure womanhood doesn't spell exaltation."

Working on getting to that exaltation part...speaking of which, I was in doing sealing last Saturday in the Temple. I haven't ever felt the Spirit like that while doing sealings. It was so sweet to feel and understand more than I ever have, covenants that are made in sacred temples. I was amazed and have looked toward marriage with a different perspective than I have before. Amazing how words change things, hearts and feelings, yet represent something so much deeper.

The Help...

2011-12-13T21:17:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on life today...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Help

So I have just spent the last 45 min (I was only allotting myself 20 min, but went over because it's a hard book to put down) reading "The Help". I'm not too far into it, but have gotten far enough, that the secret meeting to help write the manuscript have begun between Aibileen and Skeeter. The whole time my body has been tense, because they are doing it in secret...in secret from what I keep asking myself? From people who think that blacks are inferior to whites. I have been amazed and sick because of the way that the people judge and treat one another. It is amazing to me that even in today's society we judge and criticize on a regular basis (myself included). I recently took on a challenge to not be critical for a solid 24 hour period. I have done this before and it has taken me up to 7 days to be able to complete the task. I got the idea from John Lund in some of his marriage seminars.

Well, the other day in my hardest PE class full of 9th graders who often don't agree that the activity I have planned is "fun" enough for them. I have no idea some days how to please them, which results in me getting frustrated with them. Well, I told myself and a few of my students my new goal! I had to start my stop watch over about 5 times in that period alone and multiple times since. It has been a week and one of my students asked how it was going...I said, "It's not! I can't do it right now. I think I'm too stressed. Too much going on to not be critical." When I said those words, I thought to myself, "What is wrong with me that I can't have self-control when I'm stressed to not be critical for a full 24 hour period? I must really have something wrong with me." And then of course the natural woman that I am brushed it off and justified it saying, "I am too stressed! I'll do it at the new year or something." Well, it's been about 10 hours since that comment was made by my student and my response given and it has bugged me all day that I had to make an excuse as to why I can't be uncritical for a 24 hour period. So I'm starting again right now, timer is set and I'm determining, that even among one of the most stressful weeks in the year, that I can go 24 hours, at some point without being critical.

Which brings me back to The Help...what a great book. What a great way to say, "There is a problem." without saying, "You are all jerks and look at yourselves...." but by going about it in a different way. I think that is why I like to read it. Not only is it so fun to read and well written, it is just a different way of saying the thing we are all thinking or not thinking, but should be thinking, and reminding us of what is important...Human life!

I have been thinking a lot about life lately and have wondered why we have the trials that we do. I was engaged about 2 years ago and went through the most pain I have ever gone through and in that experince I learned what the reason is that we must all experience pain in one way or another; because we are here to grow. I have talked with different people, from different times in my life this week who have reminded me that we all have our problems. We all suffer in our own way and if we weren't going through the thing we are currently going through, then we would be growing and learning by going through something else, because we have a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to be fulfilling our purpose here on the Earth which is to grow. I was just reading in 2 Ne 3 and 4 and all the father's blessings that Lehi gives his sons before he dies and he tells them to do what is right, follow their younger brother and they would be blessed.

Laman and Lemuel in the very next chapter rebel and completely are cut off from their brother Nephi. They will go on to have their trials. Christ suffered for their sins as He suffered for Nephi's and mine and yours, but the difference is that Nephi too will go his way and have trials. His trials won't be the same as Laman and Lemuel's because he will need to grow in the way the Lord provides for him to grow, because he is following the Lord. Both parties have trials, but both parties have different trials, because they both are choosing to live differently. Nephi's trials will in turn help him grow and learn what the Lord wants him to and after he learns the next thing, the trial will have been useful and be taken away...until Laman and Lemuel come to themselves, their trials will continue to hurt them, because in a way they are self inflicted, because it is true that "wickedness never was happiness" and so they can't be happy and learn from their "trial" as long as they are continuing to live in the unhealthy lifestyle that is not conducive to happiness...so what have I learned? That when we are faced with a trial, it is better to just learn the thing you are supposed to so you can learn, grow and move on from the pain quicker...but the fun and ironic part (but the part we're here for: to grow) is that yet another trial will come, because if we aren't progressing and growing, we are digressing...so in the end, no matter what there will be trials, but the difference between Laman and Lemuel trials and Nephi's is that though Nephi will continue to have trials until he goes the way of all the Earth, he will continue to learn and grow, rather than be stagnant and digress, because when you put your trust in the Lord, He protects you, blesses you and helps you grow into who you are supposed to become; a child of God, meek, submissive, lowly and you will be happier though sore trials come upon you, because you trusted in the Lord. In the end the Savior is our "Help".

Life...

2011-12-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

Sometimes life is so fun that you just get to wake up, explore a city, town or country and then come home and write about it. Other times it's like that, but you're up to ears in things to do like plan Christmas parties, wrap 300 sets of napkins, knives, forks and spoons with a ribbon (thanks Jodee for your help), deliver 210 invitations, meet with the Bishop, get a new calling, do something about life while planning and preparing for your pre-observation interview with your director while kids are coming up to your desk asking if their Christmas card they just made for the homeless and battered women's shelter is good enough and the printer is "offline" and doesn't print your lesson plan and so you go half prepared with your 5 syllabi for all the classes you teach, to your meeting that doesn't go so well, because you're an overemotional wreck all of the time and end up not really talking about things you needed to, but things that have been bugging you, but shouldn't...man I don't get it! But Then you go get some essential oils and become a DoTerra representative, put on some Oregano, On-Guard and Digestzen after taking a nice shower, have time to read before bed and realize that in a way, you're back to where you were 6 months ago, happy as can be to be alive and have so much to live for...I love my life! It's up. It's hard and it's what you make of it! It's all about attitude...I'm working on it and I realize today that the Lord has given me so many things to help me learn and grow that how could I possibly be sad or ungrateful for any day I'm on this Earth, when I know why I'm here, who I am and where I came from and how to get back home. This holiday Christmas season, I'd like to thank my mom and all my family for loving me, the people I work with for putting up with me, and live my life to the fullest while I learn to live and learn to love when it hurts! That's why I'm here. It's good to know and it's good to do with so many people who know why we are here and so many who don't, because we are all here to help each other make it back safely. Thanks for loving me enough to help me learn and grow in the process of my mistakes and development. It's hard, but we aren't here to be perfect, just to grow and become more than we were while we were becoming our today self and working on our tomorrow self. Thanks for sharing life and love. It's why we're here even though it hurts sometimes.

Photo contest!

2011-12-04T21:46:00.000-08:00

I need your help. I am submitting photos to a photo contest. I just found out about it tonight and the submissions are due by noon tomorrow. The rules are: Photos should capture the cultural essence of a global academic experience in the categories of portraits, landscapes, architecture.
So please comment and let me know which ones (I can choose 2) you like the best. Thanks so much.

Dreams can come true!!!

2011-12-01T21:12:00.000-08:00

It's unreal, but my dream to swim with a dolphin has finally come true!!! How cool is that? Thanks to my brother and sister in law who gifted this to me as their going away present! It was so great! I am not going to lie, I cried after I swam with the dolphin, because it was so unreal and I have looked forward to it for so long! I loved it. I only wish it were longer and that I could have really just swam for a really long time and played with him, but that's okay...I'm grateful for what I got. A dream to never be forgotten for forever! When you want something bad enough. in some way, shape or form it comes true!

My favorite part!!! Oh man! That was a real smile! I didn't even realize pictures were getting taken. That was pure joy and happiness. I can't even believe that I got to do that! Life is good, let's not ever forget the good things and memories!

Prophets and the tree of life...

2011-11-12T11:44:00.000-08:00

I just listened to Elder Uchtdorf’s talk…it was exactly what I needed to hear this morning…The Lord knows me. He understands my heart and He guides me along the path I should be on. I am going to read 1 Ne 8 this afternoon. It is one of my favorite chapters in the entire Book of Mormon. I went to a class once and the teacher so profoundly told us that the tree represented the love of God or in other words Christ and he kept on saying, “Where is the tree in your life? Is it behind you? Is it in front of you? It is far away from you? Are you looking toward it and grasping the iron rod to make sure you get to it?” I sometimes ask myself, where is the tree in my life? Where? I always hope I’m close enough to it and am grasping the iron rod so I will keep on the path that will ultimately get me where I want to go. I need to get there, for no other distraction can bring me Joy like being at Jesus’ feet and eternally encircled in the arms of His love.
http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/forget-me-not?lang=eng&media=audio

Fall...and seasons

2011-11-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

I feel like with all the different fall colors, the cold, the fog and the snow, I have been having a lot of interesting emotions. I feel like it is a wonderful blessing to see growth and change and realize that the seasons are a visualisation of what our lives are supposed to be. Spring: renewal of hard things and a breath of fresh air. Summer: fun and enjoyment, a lot of laughter and tasting the beauty of life Fall: beautiful still, crisp and things changing and maybe not going the way that we hoped or expected. Winter: a cold freezing death, but throughout it every now and again a white wonderful snow sparkles with the sun and teaches us that even in the winters of our lives we can learn and grow...and just when we've learned and grown enough for that season, spring comes again to give us renewed hope and life and so the cirlce continues...just some thoughts i've had...I'll add more later! Thought it was time to update and get the growing going!!!

Video Carl Made of Spain

2011-08-24T19:00:00.001-07:00

Oh the memories this brings back!!! What a great day!!!

Segovia 17 de Julio 2011

2011-07-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

We got to Segovia this morning a half hour before church started and so Dendi sat outside of the building working on her pictures. We find ourselves working, eating and sleeping in many random places! On the road is where you see the best and worst of people!

17 de julio 2011 10:25 de la manana Segovia (en route) Spain

Well it’s been a great couple of days, but a lot of learning because as profe Meredith told us in the culture shock process there comes a period of time when we are near the end and get excited to go home and just get sick of the trip. I have seen this happening all over the place!!! We have been getting on each other’’ nerves much easier than before, but I think when you are with the same people in such tight quarters (and with every city it gets tighter and tighter because of all the stuff we are buying! I’ve pretty much taken up all the room I’m allowed and more! I know that’s hard to imagine!) and it’s been 4 weeks now it is really easy to be impatient, especially when we know we are going home soon. I just keep trying to think “There’s only a few days left and we need to enjoy it!” And so when we are getting impatient I ask for “disculpas” and try to be better and kinder! We only have a few more days left to really enjoy it all so I need to try harder.

Anyway on a lighter note, we have had a ton of fun!

We have been to so many cities that I am getting confused now. We just came from Avila today and are in Segovia. We went to church today and there were only a few people that are in the branch. I felt like I was in my second area in the mission, but even there things got better. It is so hard here because the Catholic church is so strong. If you’re not Catholic here you are just weird. I have learned so much about the Catholic church while being here. I can imagine why it is a tradition. It goes way back generation after generation. I am more firm in my testimony than ever of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It has grown a lot here in the past few years. I love the way the Lord works. He puts us where we need to be and I, with a firmness believe that we are exactly where we are supposed to be. I know I was supposed to go on this trip. I was supposed to come to Spain to learn about the country, the people, the culture and about myself and my place in this vast world. It is amazing to see how many people are looking for truth and how many people are good in the world. I’ve also really enjoyed looking at the differences in culture and realizing that no one is better than the other, we are just different. We are meant to be different and that makes us unique and needed. Just like the hand hath need of the finger and the foot etc…we need each other and the uniqueness we each personally and culturally bring to the world. I am glad to be where I am in life and know who I am. I am a child of God. He is very conscious of all of His children and will help them to be exactly where they need to be with or without trials. We will grow in the way we need to as we trust in His hand and guidance through the winding road of experience that life gives us. I appreciate all the growth I have been able to see and achieve on this trip. It has really opened up my eyes and every time Sunday rolls around and we are in a different part of Spain and a different Branch or Ward, the truth still comforts me and gives me this overwhelming peace that no matter what happens in life, if we hold onto the iron rod, we will be guided to the next step of life with care and when we stumble we will be able to get up and keep moving if we lean on the Lord. I testify that Christ lives and He was resurrected and because he died and lived again, took up his body again, we too can do that and so can our loved ones.

I take for granted the truths I know and I forget that not everyone in the world knows all the things that I know that are so natural and comforting to me in my daily life. I know that the resurrection is real and that one day I’ll see my dad again and anyone who has lost a loved one, which are many, will see their loved ones too. I’m grateful for families while I’ve been here. I’ve been preocupada waiting to find out if my sister has had her baby yet and I’m grateful for my sister Melissa who has gotten back to me to let me know the details while Liz is busy getting ready for her new little one! I’ve been uplifted by emails from my family telling me that they love to read my blog and emails and I’ll do my best to bring back gifts adequate! The space and weight limits in my luggage are about over capacity as is!

I am also grateful for friends who lift me and keep me afloat and are patient with me even when I am not the nicest person to be around. I’m grateful in general for forgiveness of imperfections. It’s funny to think that when we judge someone for faults, they are working on their flaws and wish we would pardon them as we wish to be forgiven ourselves. I have enjoyed this learning process on this trip. It has been so humbling to experience and watch forgiveness happen. I have been in awe watching my professor Meredith, who has been through more than one mortal man should have to pass through. He has rarely been impatient and has given so much so that this could be an unforgettable experience for all of us. He understands that time is valuable and the things you do during that time are just as valuable as the things you don’t do. I appreciate him.

Professor Knapp is an angel sent to my life at this time that I never knew existed. I have no idea how one person can know so much, be so happy, kind and considerate of everyone she meets. She is an example of courtesy and fun evenly balanced to a T. I love her and appreciate the sacrifices she makes for us, especially being here, because her poor kids (though they get to be with their grandparents) don’t get their mom for a month!

Needless to say, I have had a blast and have learned so much. It has been unreal! We are off to go see the aqueduct at night now that we’ve seen it during the day!!! Life is good! (I got a nap in that is part of the beauty!)

Pretty much the branch minus a few people.

Now the branch with us added! We doubled its size! It was awesome we basically had a testimony meeting during sacrament today. It was just what I needed! And Prof Meredith gave the lesson in sunday school.

Beautiful Susy before church.

Carl contemplating the whens and wheres of our trip.

First glimpses of the acueduct! I was ecstatic!

I've sure drunk a lot of Fanta Naranja here and also taken a lot of pictures of them! Do you love the glass? I do and I am taking 2 home with me! 2 Fun stories to tell about how that came about and free!

Yummy. Grape leaves with rice in them. Very Greek. I'm surprised that I didn't have them while in Greece. Thanks Dendi for helping culture me! Dendi is amazing and very smart!!!

Pizza Margarita...Dendi told us where cheese pizza came from...Basically a queen in Italy, maybe a princess, decided she wanted cheese on her pizza, because back in the day it was just bread and sauce (like it is uruguay) and after she requested to add cheese, it was a hit and so they named it after her.

We had so much food on our table that we pretty much didn't know what to do with ourselves!

I love this one!

The first time I had to pay money to use the bano! 20 cents! Totally worth it!

Profe Knapp and me! I love that woman!

Profe Knapp doing what she loves to do...read and learn. We found a street on the map called el poso de Nieves. Her name is Nieves (which means snow) and Poso means well (like the kind water is in) and she really wants one in her house like Cervantes had! So I told her we should take this picture to show her husband that there is indeed a Poso de la Nieves and she needs one in her house!! Good luck in Payson!

In anticipation to arrive in Segovia!! I've been waiting forever for this. This trip has been so many dreams come true!

This is Santiago (he is pictured above with his dad and super profe) he is the best baby I have ever seen. He just sat there during church and didn't make a peep, only whined a little bit. He was the cutest thing I've ever seen!

Avila 16 de Julio

2011-07-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

Salamanca Saturday July 16, 2011

2011-07-17T11:08:00.000-07:00

La plaza mayor. I'm just now figuring out that every city has a plaza mayor! I'm a little slow.

A very common saying when trying to help you know how to spell something instead of "T as in Tom" they say, "q de queso" I thought that was ingenious to make that the name of a queseria or a cheese store.

Una monja going to buy food.

Casa de las Conchas (shells) It's really the library! I was ready to go look at some sea shells. Little did I know that they were only to be found on the building! I seriously was waiting until the shell shop opened and they said it was time to move on and I said, "But where are all the shells? I want to see some shells!" My professor just laughed..."There are no shells. It's named that because of the outside of the building."

Salamanca Univesrsity. Established in 1218! That's old! No one goes to school there now. There's just a bookstore.

Just be happy!

A classroom in the University.

The library was cool! You couldn't go in it, but they had up glass doors/walls so you could see it. I was cool. The Spanish really know how to preserve their stuff and have a lot to show. It's really cool.

water for the fire fighters...new word for vocab Bomberos=firemen

It is very popular to buy a sweatshirt from the university of Salamanca. Very, very popular that I bought 3! Not all for me, but for people who sent a special request...now Andy and Laura how do i get them home???? J/k we'll figure it out!

Too cute!

Roman bridge. On our way out of the city we stopped and took pictures on our way out! Adios Salamanca!

One of my favorite pictures of the entire time we were there! Lucky number 17 (my favorite number because my bday...only a month away) and the cathedral and city of Salamanca. A mi me encanta!

The Museum of Chocolate Astorga

2011-07-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

Pretty cool! Who knew that it was so hard to make chocolate? A lot of work goes into it when it is made by hand! I'm grateful for those who do it! Gracias chocolate makers of the world.

A cute little pueblo outside of Astorga 15 de julio

2011-07-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

Chuches! Sweet Treats!

2011-07-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

CD's made of sugar! Almost like cotton candy.

These are not your regular tortillas! They are made of sugar!

Chupa Chups! Suckers vocab word: Chupar-to suck (get it? sucker!)

Thanks to Carolina we all know what chuches are!!! You may have seen the one I bought that was like 3 feet long!

Marshmellows

A candy ship!

I love Leon!!! Viernes 15 de julio 2011

2011-07-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

7/15/11 7:23pm Friday Leaving Leon, Spain

I can’t believe that today is Friday! We have been on the road for a week today and it almost feels like we just left and it was yesterday, but at the same time when I look back it’s like, “Wow we have done a ton of stuff! We are lucky people.” Today we went to the cathedral in Astorga and the palacio episcopal de Gaudi. It was really pretty. We couldn’t really take pictures in either, but outside it was good. Then we went to this cute little town in Castrillo de los polvares. It was this cute little town that had cobble stone roads and all the doors were green, except I found one that was blue! I also found a place they sell Miel and I thought of Lance Parker because he has bee hives! So Lance I took this picture for you! After that we went to Leon and we spent most of the day there. We had a yummy lunch. I had really good pasta and fish. I learned today that you shouldn’t dig out fish bones with your hands, because you’ll smell like fish all day! There was no soap in the bathroom I went to so I couldn’t even wash my fishy hands. We went to the cathedral in Leon and it by far has been my favorite cathedral. There are tons and tons of stained glass windows and they are astounding and beautiful. Ever since I took the Iberian peninsula Spain class I have always wanted to go there. I have loved those windows for a really long time! It was really cool and I bought some cool stuff there. After that we saw these cute old people who told us that we have to go see the frescos and the museum. It was really cool. There were these old books from the 900’s a Bible. Which I thought was really cool, because I imagined the priests who used to copy the Bible time and time again so people could read them and I remembered in 2 Nephi 13 when things were taken out of the Bible because of the mistakes made by people in the rewriting process. There were even little side notes that people had written saying that as they were rewriting they thought there were mistakes or that it didn’t really happen the way it was written etc…so I can see why, “We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly, we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.” (Article of Faith #8)

After that we are now in the car, but Professor Knapp and Montgomery and I got lost finding the car…Next time I need to pay closer attention as I am leaving the parking lot. We are on our way to Salamanca right now and are listening to John Lund as we are on our way. I have to catch up on my blog a lot because we haven’t had internet for a couple days so I am going to hopefully try to update today!

So what have I learned today? I have learned that there are lots of different things including loving one another, praying when you lose something, you may or may not find it, but you’ll be okay either way as long as you’ve included the Lord, He’ll support you. I’ve learned that everything happens for a reason and just because a man drinks 5 vinos con sus amigos a day doesn’t make him a bad person, because today I met this guy named Felix and he was the nicest man ever. I will for sure add a photo of him. He sits 5 minutes, no more, no less at the cathedral every day, drinks about 5 vinos every day and smokes a lot as he told me! Old as he is he looks great! Check for yourself! He was so nice and pretty much told me all I needed to know about the Cathedral in 5 min. I really enjoyed talking to him. He was excited to see the picture I took of him after I took it! He liked that my camera could show him instantly the picture! I love old people!!! I always will, especially when I’m old perhaps even more than I do now!!! Hard to beat, but who will I play checkers with? My grandkids??? Gotta have kids first! Anyway, today was a good day for learning! I’m still in that!

ALMUERZO jueves 14 de julio Ourense, Spain

2011-07-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

My salad!

We took a break for lunch. This is what Susy ate. Yummy yum!

Really pretty flowers!

Chauffer Carlos taking a little siesta!

Cool bridge in Ourense

Another cool piece of art in Ourense

Okay there are going to start to be some cool pics of the camino de Santiago (the trail of James) because they are all over the place and since I know what it is I love it and kind of have a desire to do it maybe next summer. All the Peregrinos (pilgrims) walk or bike many, many miles to get to Santiago de Compostela. I think it is the coolest thing. I can only imagine the blood, sweat and tears. Today we saw a lady and her husband doing it and she had these huge blood blisters under her eyes. They looked painful. I'm sure they had something to do with lack of sleep and too much sun...I kept trying to figure it out.

The only river I remember the name of, because it's easy like nino and it divides Spain from Portugal at some point! El rio Mino

Susy taking a nap!

More pretty flowers!

Okay so I have this new obession with bathrooms and the variety there are...keep your eyes and eyes alert for a post dedicated to the aseo!

Coffee cups and wine cups here are soooo small it's unreal. I think, "Why even put it in a cup? It's just one gulp." But what I'm learning is that things in those cups are only supposed to be consumed in small quantities. Sipped and enjoyed! Because of the culture, conversation and people are important as much as the food being consumed if not more!

This is a mini trash can! This picture is for profe Meredith who loves his coca zero!

Astorga, Spain 15 de Julio 2011

2011-07-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

Dendi is so funny!

14 de Julio 2011 12am Thursday Astorga

Okay today has been a good day with a few moments of “learning” like when my Ipod chord broke because the brake never got put on and profe got out of the car and we realized we were rolling and Debby pretty much jumped over the seat to put her foot on the brake and in the process ripped my ipod out of the jack and ripped the chord out of the ipod. Luckily it still works…well I guess we’ll see tomorrow when Carolina lets me use her jack because mine is for sure broken! Other than that it was a really good day. It started with the Niña and me appreciating and really thinking with gratitude about Christopher Columbus and all the men that went with him. Then I was left in awe constantly at the beauty of this country! I will never think of Spain the same again. I always wanted to come, but I never realized it would be so wonderful and beautiful and of course I have had a few people enfadarse conmigo por sacarles una foto sin permiso (take their picture without their permission so they got mad). Today I actually erased the picture the lady told me to erase, but normally I don’t because I know I’m not going to do anything bad with it. Anyway, we got to the hotel after traveling about 5 hours and eating a wonderful lunch in Ourense. It was a huge salad. We arrived at our hotel and you would not believe it, but our front door is on the plaza central. It is like you walk out of the hotel and onto the plaza. It is the most convenient and awesome place, with the exception of the Mezquita right across the street from us! It was really cool! Anyway, I love this city. We were trying to figure out where to eat dinner and no one could decide anything so I decided to finally sit down by myself. I ordered and they had this celebration for the 14^th of July because today is France’s independence day and because Spain won independence against France they celebrate it. I got up and took some pictures, almost went deaf for all the firing of guns for the celebraton. I came back to my table and a little while later La Professora Knapp and La Professora Montgomery vinieron. It was great. They ordered food. Then I went and took pictures of some kids jumping rope and did an interview. Then came back and the super profe Meredith had joined us! Then Carolina came and Debby and Suzy was taking pictures from her room and took some of us eating and then carl came out and did the same things. Really I loved it! I had to laugh because I started out all by myself and ended up with everyone!!! We ordered and ate and enjoyed!

Well on the way to take a picture of a balcony with really pretty flowers and these 3 cute old ladies were walking by me. I politely stopped them and asked them if I could take their picture and what was going on. They had no problem letting me. So I video taped them talk about why they celebrate and their families etc. it was probably one of my favorite interviews hands down. They were so cute and talked and talked! It was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I was so excited. Then there are bells that ring on the hour and these cute dolls go out and ring the bells. Anyway it’s like the Ladies told me “Espana tiene un poquito de todo!” Spain has a little bit of everything and I have to agree. Everywhere we go is different and I love it all!

Jueves 14 de Julio Biona, Espana

2011-07-15T13:58:00.000-07:00

Jueves el 14 de julio 2011 12:43pm leaving Biona, Spain

We just went to the boat that is a replica of the Pinta that Christopher Columbus sailed on his way to discover America. I was listening to the audio guide that goes with the tour and I thought it was so cool because they put music with it and it walked you through the entire boat, all the different parts (it wasn’t that big). As I walked and learned I could have cried because it made me appreciate how these 24 men suffered and 3 Indians came back with them and one died on the way. It was incredible that they ate only fish and had some pig because they had cured it. They also had fruits and nuts but not many and they mostly drank wine because let’s be honest the older wine gets the better they say it is, so that is the only liquid they really had and it was a means of providing vitamins and minerals! I can’t even imagine what they went through being at sea for so long and I know people do it today, but really the ship was so simple, not very much protection and it was amazing that people lived in such inconvenient headquarters. I am amazed and have come to appreciate so much more what people go through and have gone through to provide something better for the next generation. If anything I have learned to appreciate the trials, tribulations and talents of others on this trip and also of course the food and crafts, souvenirs! I have purchased too many things! I find it hilarious that I was concerned that bringing 300 Euros with me would be too much!!!! Ha ha ha! I have taken money out of the bank three times since then! This morning was the last time! We only have a week left! We’ll see how it goes! Pretty sure that I have to buy another bag to put all my extra stuff in! Susy and I are going to share, she doesn’t think she’ll have to because she is leaving all her clothes behind, but let’s be honest she has a ton of stuff that doesn’t fit in her bags!

A light house. Word of the day "el faro"

I found my boat!!!! Read the name of it!

Cute boat!

La Nina

Lots of fish bask in the shade of the Nina.

K, now is the moment for that funny joke. This is the Nina.

They actually used really cool tools to figure out where they were and switched their tools depending on whether it was day or night.

Cute and creative garbage cans!

Biona Wednesday July 13, 2011

2011-07-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

7/13/11 Biona, Spain 11:11pm

I love laptops for many reasons! The reason I love them right now is because I am sitting on a pool deck looking at the Atlantic Ocean (it is getting a little bit too dark to see it now, but 15 min ago I could see it!) writing in my journal. I swam in the pool overlooking the beautiful ocean (not swimmable because of temperature and rocks) and thought how blessed I am to be here at this moment, alive and living this dream that I never even knew existed! I have been thinking a lot in that book/movie “Eat, Pray, Love”. Though I love Julia Roberts I didn’t really like the ins and outs of the movie, but I loved the idea and I feel like in a way I am living that interesting part where you get to know yourself as you travel and meet other people and other cultures. I signed up to have a massage today at the spa (we are in a 4 star hotel! I feel like a princess! Again I feel like I am in Hawaii…I guess Hawaii is my dreamland where I feel the most in paradise and pampered!) and I had to tell them I couldn’t do it because our group was leaving to go to PORTUGAL! It just amazes me every single time how nice people can be! Today the lady didn’t freak out or anything, she was the kindest most cordial person ever and of course it’s part of her job, but believe me I have dealt with people who are doing their job and are still not very nice doing it! Needless to say I just loved her and her kindness. She helped me pick which massage to get and explained them all very well and once again I loved hearing the dichos (sayings) that they say and the way they say them! I love it here! I wouldn’t mind living at this hotel! I have just finished eating a salad by the pool and drinking our complementary beverages. I’ve never had free drinks in the mini fridge before, but these ones are free! It is so cool! I love it and I am listening to the ocean waves with some nice background music and this is my favorite place so far (hotelwise) that we have been to because I love the ocean and it’s just me and it and my computer of course.

Anyway, it’s been a great day! We went o Portugal as I mentioned before and it was so cool! Two countries in one trip. This was a bonus because I didn’t know we were going to get to go! And to top it off we went to this cool place where we could shop! So we were set free in this cool Fortelza to shop for 2.5 hours! Pretty much amazing! (All the while I think my sister is having her baby right now. sidenote)

We also went and saw these ruins that are so old, like years before Christ. It was pretty cool. I feel so blessed to live in the time period that I do and to have the things I do. I didn’t mention that I ate my salad with my fingers because I couldn’t find a fork, but I didn’t really care because I felt like sometimes we should do things out of the ordinary so we can appreciate the things we have (example: I dropped my napolitanas on the ground at the store after I bought them and the box popped open and they both jumped onto the floor. In the US I would have told the clerk or something and asked for new ones, but here I just picked them up and I’ll eat them for breakfast tomorrow after dusting them off (maybe share some with someone else!!jk!) and move on! But that’s just me! My group has gotten to know me pretty well! That’s just the way life is. You take it as it comes and enjoy it, because one day I’m going to turn around and wonder where it all went.

Today as we passed the beach in the city next to us I thought, “Man I wish I could go back to being 16 again, but have the knowledge I have now.” and then I thought about it…but how could I have learned all the things I needed to learn if I had the knowledge I do now? I guess I wouldn’t change a thing, because I really have learned a lot through experiences. I am very blessed. Well it’s 11:37 and I’m getting tired. I need to go to bed, but know that I have a great life and am very blessed with or without a fork to eat my salad!!! I might move to California and live by the beach though! That thought keeps creeping into my mind! (has been for years!) Have a great day/Night!

Churros con chocolate una vez mas! yum!

I have missed the American flag! And look Uruguay is right next to it!

This is the view from the pool deck!

Hna Orullian this is for you! Every time I see these flowers I think of you!

Portugal right behind me!!! So cool!

Los Castros

Yum Yum Yum! Ice cream in Portugal!

Our wonderful professors!

Horreo...they store grain and food in these so they don't mold

I love all the boats!!!

Looking out from our hotel!

Our huge room! I have the extra bed! Love it!

Vigo 12 de julio Fashion, food and fun what else can you ask for??? More sleep!

2011-07-13T15:23:00.000-07:00

July 13, 2011 Wednesday 10:29am

We are leaving the hotel right now in Vigo to go to Biona. We were barely here it feels like, possibly because there was nothing really big to see here like a cathedral or something, but we did go shopping! There were tons of places to go and everything was really cool! We ate some really yummy French omelets and crepes at this restaurant that had a bus inside and a car too. It was really cute and the guy who owns it is from France up north. He was really nice. We also did some interviews with some kids at a skate park. They were really apprehensive to let me videotape them because they aren’t used to random people coming up to them and asking them to talk about themselves. We didn’t videotape them, but they talked to us for a good half hour and told us their favorite music, subjects in school etc! It was fun! I loved hearing them speak. It just amazes me the phrases they use and how they talk so fast. I love it when they speak really fast and I understand!!! Believe it or not Spanish in Spain is quite different. Their accent is so fun to listen to. One of my new favorite phrases is “Anda venga” it literally means go, come. But it is like come on….everyone says it for tons of things. I love it! It makes me laugh and now I know how to say it so I say it, but every time I say it I laugh to myself or outloud because I think it is so funny because it is saying, “go” and then the opposite “come” but it is basically saying come on, get with it…etc and my new favorite verb is “coger” because it means to get something in many ways like “no lo cogi” I didn’t get it. Or when I was a buying a cd from a guy playing the guitar on the street and he was playing so he couldn’t give me change so he said, “Cogelo” like grab your change. Unfortunately in south america it doesn’t have very good connotation because of some sailors and what they did to women. I’ll just leave it there. Pero me da pena (It makes me sad) that I can’t use it when I get back. It is such a fun verb. Another fun word that has worked out in my favor is chantaje a bribe! I learned this word because I was late to meet our group (shocking I know! I paid the multa (fine) this time it was 2 Euros because I was 10 min late!) I gave my professor a Napolitana de crema y chocolate and she said, “O chantajes!! Tienes una A+” (Oh, Bribes! You have an A+). Since then we have been using that word a lot. I am learning so many new words. I have my little orange book of everything and I am not going to lose that book, because I just write everything in it and it can’t happen! (that is my way of thinking positive that it won’t happen!)

Ps…if you read and think, “wow this girl has some pretty bad grammar in English, just keep in mind that while I write in English I am surrounded by Spanish and my brain is going back and forth between them both, plus we are driving usually when I write (that is the only time I have, because otherwise we are out and about all over the place! I don’t know how our professors do it and our drivers! They are always kind and happy and patient!!! This has been one fun ride!

This country is beautiful! If you’re like me 2 weeks ago and think it is only Madrid, one big city then you are sadly mistaken, because wow it is so green that sometimes I think I’m in Hawaii. The North is amazing. It is perfect weather. We’ve had like 3 hours of rain in 5 days and have been so blessed. And Carolina just figured out how to get her hard drive to work because el super prof knows everything! That is why he is super!!! We got the best deal ever with these two professors! Needless to say I have had a blast and have learned a lot!

We just drove 20 min and have now arrived in Biona which has a beach!!!!! I don’t know if we will swim it is only 74 degrees here and I don’t know if we will have time. We basically city hop every day. One night in a hotel and off to the next we go. After a week of no radio or music (lots of talking, sleeping, typing and reading) we figured out how to make our ipods work in the car, so now we have music!!!! It is great.

We just pulled into the beach with tons of boats. Carolina just gave us a funny joke!

“Jaimito dime los nombres de las caravelas en las que fue colon a américa.”

Jaime no sabe la respuesta y sienta vencido, mira afuera y ve una chica y dice “Santa maria que pinta que tiene la niña.”

La maestra le dice, “Muy bien Jaimito.”

Oh man we just pulled into the hotel!!!! It is in front of the beach. It is beautiful! And they have choclat-therapy where you can get a massage with chocolate or something!!!

This is one of those yummy waffles with bits of sugar and toffee in it! I feel like we eat all the time...wait that's cause we do, but we are aprovechando de lo que hay...2 more weeks!

Cutest couple ever! I love it! She was helping him walk up the street hand in hand! so precious.

Yum Yum!

The kids we interviewed!

Gallego...look it's Uruguay and Argentina right next to each other! Yay for Uruguay! "!Como no!"

This was inside the restaurant!

At that restaurant you could draw on the table cloth! Carolina is a great artist!

The bus inside of the restaurant.

Vigo 12 de julio

2011-07-13T01:26:00.001-07:00

Leaving Gijon arriving in Santiago de Compostela

2011-07-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

7/11/11

4:37pm

I decided today that I love the variety of the bathrooms here! It is always a surprise whether there will be one or two, or a shared sink with the men or a pull flusher or a push flusher or something else! It is really starting to be fun! I woke up on my own without an alarm around 7:33am and Carolina and I went on a walk/run on the beach. The sand was the wet hard sand from having just had ocean waves on it all night! It was beautiful. We didn’t bring our cameras because we were going running, but we captured a few pictures in our minds! It was beautiful and this cute couple had just gone swimming and were on their way home. It was so cute. They were walking up the beach in their swim suits and the wife had a bright orange gorro de baño (a swim cap) on that matched her swim suit. They were the cutest old couple who I assume go to the beach every morning to swim and get their work out in. They were so cute. I wish I had my camera in that moment, but that is one of those pictures I have to capture in my mind and write down to remember later.

We hurried back to the hotel and showered in 20 min before we had to leave and practically ran out of the hotel. We got in the car and were on our way to these two old churches that have been here since before the murros . I liked them. They were just simple. I feel like the simple churches that we have seen like the Mezquita and the Alhambra (it’s not that simple, very well done with tons of detail, but not gaudy) are amazing and yet so simple. I love the cathedrals from outside and the arches inside, but sometimes I get a little overwhelmed and over stimulated inside, because there is so much on the altar.

After we were on the road again we stopped for lunch in the last town before leaving Andalucía. The city is called Tapia de Casariego. It has the playa

Sideria de san blas is where we ate. It was soooo good! we sat outside and ate yummy lentil soup, fries and some yummy pork almost like a millanesa. The owner was sooo nice. They even showed us how they serve the cider (cidra) it is so cool!!! More pictures to follow. I only videoed.

We just got a flat tire so we are pulling into a gas station. This is one bumpy ride! We have really good luck though we just happen to be almost right in front of a flat tire place.

6:39pm They didn’t have our size tire, but they did have tools to help fix it and our donut tire turned out to be a regular size tire so we are on the road again, but I think since we are renting the car we have to replace it before we return the car. We were all chuckling and saying, “Of course we couldn’t go through the whole trip without a flat tire!” Now we are listening to old music in Spanish. It’s been fun. If you speak Spanish you should look up the song, “Una Locura” by Jose Luis Peralis. It’s a good one.

A little piece of home somewhere between Madrid y Santander

2011-07-10T14:54:00.000-07:00

Made me remember Tehachapi. For a second I thought I was in high school for about an hour! If only life were as simple as it was back then! Oh well, life is great even as a grown up (let's be honest, I haven't really grown up that much!).

Los animales!

2011-07-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

It appears that today was full of wild animals!!

7 de julio Manzanares de El Real y El Escorial, Madrid Spain

2011-07-07T15:38:00.000-07:00

Breakfast for 2.50Euros! Cheap and fresh squeezed OJ

Profe and su bocadillo

El castillo. It is in such a pretty place. I could live there, minus the cold castle walls!

More of Alcala and Madrid July 5 and 6

2011-07-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

On the train ride I wrote tons and tons of postcards. I think 18 to be exact! Off they go to my friends and family. If you want one send me your address, but let's be honest, if I write them now, I'll get home before they do!

Me mailing the first batch on the train ride there. Cool mailbox huh!

On March 11, 2011 terrorists put bombs in trains. It was awful and many died. This is a monument erected in their memory.

The double decker train we rode.

Last night was so funny. We were on our way home (or so we thought) and we got on the metro. 2 stops later we saw our professor outside of the train. I waved to her all excited and was taking a picture of her through the glass door. She was trying to tell me that we were on the wrong train and there I was ecstatic to see her and taking her picture not realizing anything!!! I told Susy that I just saw the Professor. She said, “Oh, that is weird. We shouldn’t see her. She goes the other way.” I said, “Yeah I know, I told her we were going to Gran Via” A guy standing next to me said, “If you’re going to Gran Via you’re on the wrong train!” We started laughing, because we realized that our professor wasn’t saying, “Hi, look how cool it is that I see you on the train!” She was saying, “Get off this train. You’re on the wrong train!!!” We laughed so hard. It was so funny, because I was just there like this oblivious tourist all excited to be taking pictures and she was frantically trying to tell us we were on the wrong train and finally gave up and just smiled for the photo. I talked to her this morning and she had a good laugh about it and she said that she went home and told her brother and sister (she is from Spain) and they had a good laugh about the Americans trying to figure out the Spanish Metro system! That's a fun memory.

Here are a few funny quotes from yesterday and today:

Becca asking questions about Arabes, Indians, Jerusalem, Pakistan and Iraq (trying to figure out all the differences and details) "There are no stupid questions."

Susy, "Yeah, just stupid people!" (referring to me of course)

Today Susy was trying to figure out how to do certain things on her blog and computer...Susy "I just don't understand technology and computers. I'm just a simple minded person."

Becca "That's one way of putting it!"

La casa de Cervantes y Don Quixote

2011-07-06T11:14:00.000-07:00

Me and Don Quixote! Pobre Sancho pansa looking on!

El poso, the well inside Cervantes' house. Susy handed me my camera over the well thinking it wasn't real. I about hyperventalated saying, "If you dropped that, I would never get it back!" She looked down and realized it was a real well! Nothing's coming out of that!

Professor Meredith conversing with Don Quixote catching up on old times! We couldn't ask for better professors!

The Catholic Cathedral of the children who were told to deny Christ and they didn't so they were killed. This cathedral was built in their memory.

This painting is in Carolina's house and it reminded me of my mom, because all growing up we had one like this that she spent all her savings on as she saw the guy painting it. So I know it's a treasured piece for her. I love you mom!

Our wonderful professor Knapp teaching us!

5 de Julio Alcala, Spain

2011-07-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

There are storks (ciguenos) everywhere in Alcala. That is why this is their symbol. It's pretty cool. They have these huge nidos (nests) that weigh like 80 kilos, that's like 170 pounds. It's cool. They are everywhere.

Cervantes' plaza again

more pretty flowers

Cervantez's statue with Don Quixote

We took a tour of the University.

This is the cieling! Amazing!

This is the room where people had to give their discourse in Latin in order to graduate. If they missed one question they were taken out the failure door and spit on until they were as white as snow is what the tour guide said!

Pretty flowers at the Plaza de Cervantes

This is all black electric tape and it is on like 4 different walls and surfaces. When you look at it from just the right angle it all comes together. It is pretty amazing! This was an art project at the University of Alcala.

I will never look at a cobblestone, pebbled walk way the same again. Those men doing back breaking work. Hand picking the rocks to put into the pathway. Just thinking of the time spent makes me ill and it was soooo hot outside. Amazing stuff.

Yet another kind of salad. Yummy! I have learned that Olive oil, vinegar and salt make a delicious dressing.

Lentejas son la comida de las viejas. Si no te gusta, las dejas. I love lentil soup. Made me miss my mom!

We had lunch at the University. It was so good and the cheapest meal we have had by far. Only 8Euros for the menu del dia.

Profe Knapp got fish. On this occasion, I was glad I didn't, because the bones...too many, too much work. I've become a lazy american.

Profe Meredith got pork chops and fries. It's funny because fries comes with meat here. I guess we Americans took it one step further and added a bun!

Yummy, yum, yum! Torta de San Marcos. It's a traditional dessert. This was my first time having it and p.s. I loved it!

K, this was the cutest little girl ever. She was sitting at the table next to us. Well, she wasn't her mom was. She was over at our table while we, "oohed and aahed" over her. She was so cute. Susy said she must be like what our professor was like as a child. Always going over to other people and making friends, because our professor can get anything and make anyone her friend. She is amazing. I have to say I love her!

The plaza de Cervantez

Okay this is way cool! These are candied almonds or almendras garrapinadas and the mojas or nuns make them. But these aren't just any nuns. As you can see below there is a box that is on a rotating thing and you go up to the "window" and ask for what you want and then you put your money on the spinning thing and it spins into her. She puts the thing you asked for on the turn table and turns it to you and you get it. All of this without seeing each other, only speaking. I had heard of convents for nuns, but I didn't realize that they have no contact from the outside world.

I met this group of girls from Brazil studying here for a month like us. They speak Spanish and Portuguese. They were so cute. One of them said, "For an American you speak Spanish really well!" I'm not gonna lie, that made me feel good! I'll take a compliment on my language skills or the lack of them any day!

I just thought this was cool! There are special places to ride bikes (just like in the US) but more prominent, because more bikes get ridder here.

Happy 4th of July 2011

2011-07-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

Pop Quiz: Why do they not celebrate the 4th of July in Spain like we do in the USA?

This is our 4th of July lunch celebration!

This is how Carl spends his sobremesa 4th of July! Napping while reading about Spain!

Mi nina, always arreglandose putting on makeup etc!

These look like smooshed peaches. I can't remember what they are called, but apparently we have them in the US too!

A park. It was lunch time so no one was playing, but I liked it with the cute fence!

La persistencia de memoria no es...this isn't it, but it is by DALI. The real persistence of Memory is in NYC

I found the piece that was the same picture as my ticket! Cool!

I just liked this one and my professor told me it was famous!

This is the free line. I'm glad we didn't have to stand in that today like yesterday! It may not look like it, but every person in that line is sweating profusely! I this was taken from the glass elevator! All the museums open up for free at about 5 or 7 depending on the day. That's how we went to the Prado yesterday. But today we had free tickets to the La Reina Sofia because we went to a different museum yesterday and they were giving out free tickets! Cool huh! we saved like 175 bucks which in turn will pay for our parking at hotels. Like 17 Euros a day and we have 2 cars! A lot!

I love this one by Dario! And it's a cow which makes me love it even more!

Guess this painter. I'll give you a clue. Cubist who painted Guerrnica. We couldn't take a picture of Guernica, but it was HUGE and cool!

Metro ride home. I was trying to get them to go into the teeny tiny expensive photobooth to take pictures but they were too tired so I told them to complacerme with a picture por lo menos en el metro.

Old Lady and dog! It's funny to see people walking there dog. I've never really lived in the city so to see a dog do its business on the sidewalk is rather rare. No grass.

Probably not the best thing in the world, but we found this amazing place with amazing food, ice cream pizza and treats! They have these rellenas for only 75cents full of dulce de leche!!! makes me remember the mission!!!

Domingo, 3 de Julio Madrid, Spain

2011-07-03T15:26:00.000-07:00

My studious roommate Susy!

Church today is right across from the temple! Pretty cool. We met the temple presidents. We are probably going in 2 weeks.

Beautiful park. I forget what it is called, but you can rent boats etc!

Look how cool those are! I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland!

We went to the Prado Museum today. This is a statue of Goya. Very famous!

When I see signs like this, I don't feel as bad about my Spanish!

2 de julio Madrid

2011-07-02T10:49:00.000-07:00

Lucky number 17! Means it's gonna be a good day!

I have always wanted to go on one of those double decker buses and today was our lucky day! Me and Caro listening to the guy talk.

A cool building of importance, but I can't remember what it is though! Oh man I'm so good at this!

This is an example of something people do to get money. I always feel so bad for them, because it is so hot. The guy playing the accordion is an example of another thing people do to get money. If I take a picture or video I always give them money.

The royal palace. We went to the royal palace today and couldn't take pictures, but it was way cool!

In front of the royal palace.

We ate lunch at the royal palace. This is pasta and sea food. Mariscos.

Fish and veggies and oysters. I honestly think that this is the first time I have ever had oysters and didn't freak out. I have a hard time eating different kinds of meat. Don't laugh. I know I'm weird. It's psychological.

Un congrejo=crab

I grew 6 inches and lost 50 pounds!

Susy! After we both mentioned how fun it was to have such a great body for 5 min, we both said that we should go get some ice cream...I think we know the answer to the problem!

This is a real guy. He is dressed like a torrero,

Okay, these are the coolest things ever. Chuches=treats instead of caramelos. These are way long! Check out the next picture! 2 Euros so like 3 dollars. If you constantly convert the money to dollars it hurts my head and plus it seems like everything is way expensive because the Euro is up and the dollar down. Today my 5 Eurobill ripped in half as I was taking it out to pay to get on the metro. I was like, "Man we are out of luck." Because very rarely do they take ripped money. Well, with the good luck I have, I found some chacos for 3Euros and taped my money together in the store and they took it!!! So now I have some really comfy, yet cool shoes. I've been wearing flip flops everyday, but my feet have about had it!

I just thought this was a cool picture.